Do you have a broken, cracked, weak, stained, or severely discolored tooth? You might be interested in knowing more about the dental crown.
Basically, dental crowns are a teeth-shaped dental cap that is placed by the dentist over the affected teeth in order to improve their appearances or restore their shapes and structures. Dental crowns are used to restore the size, appearance, strength, and shape of the natural teeth.
There are various types of dental crown materials, such as stainless steel crowns, metals crowns, porcelain crowns, resin crown, etc. Some of these dental crown materials are noticeable while others like composite crowns can look like the natural tooth and cannot be noticed.
If your dentist has informed you that you need a dental crown, and you have determined the type of dental crown to used, our dentist would have to first prepare your tooth. In some cases, your dentist would have to place a temporary crown on your affected tooth while the permanent crown is being made in the dental lab.
A temporary crown is usually made of plastic and is held in place with temporary cement. Since the temporary crown may fall off your mouth, care must be taken when you’re eating to prevent this.
When your permanent crown is made, your dentist removes the temporary crown over the damaged tooth and places the permanent crown. Once these permanent dental crowns are cemented in place, they will completely enclose the visible part of your natural teeth above the gum line.
The permanent crowns are held in place with stronger and permanent cement and should not fall out. But if they do, quickly consult your dentist in order to prevent further complications.
Sometimes, a dental crown may be recommended if you have a large cavity that may not be treated with dental fillings and threatens your dental health.
Also, dental crowns may be used on children to protect or restore their baby teeth that cannot support a dental filling. Please scroll down to learn more about how dental crown works.
Why Do You Need a Dental Crown?
A dental crown can be used for both restorative and cosmetic dental treatment and there are several reasons why you may need a dental crown. Some of these reasons include:
- To attach a dental bridge to the adjacent teeth.
- To cover up a dental implant.
- To cover/protect a tooth with a root canal
- To cover and give support to a tooth with a large dental filling
- To protect a weak tooth from cracking or breaking
- To replace a discolored, badly stained, misshaped, or damaged tooth
- To restore a cracked or broken tooth.
Do you have any question about dental crown and which dental crown material is right for you? Visit our dental crown page or speak with an Emergency Dentist in Houston member today.
How Does a Dental Crown Work?
Are you still wondering how exactly the dental crown works? Then read on.
When you consult your dentist for a dental crown treatment, your dentist would first take a dental examination of your oral condition to determine if a dental crown is actually right for you. Once that is settled, you may want to choose your desired dental crown materials, whose choice is mostly affected by cost.
An impression of the affected teeth would be taken to create a permanent crown. A temporary crown may be placed on the affected tooth while creating the permanent crown. Typically, the process of creating a permanent crown can take multiple weeks and multiple dental visits. However, the advent of 3-D imaging technology has made it possible to create the permanent crown faster.
When the permanent crown is done, your dentist would then replace the temporary crown with the permanent crown for a long-lasting dental restoration.
The Traditional and CEREC Dental Crowns
While deciding on the type of permanent dental crown to choose, you may choose either the traditional dental crowns or the CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) dental crowns.
The Traditional Dental Crowns
Making the traditional dental crowns involves a number of processes. Your dentist would have to first prepare the affected teeth and take their impressions. Place a temporary crown on the affected teeth while the impressions of your teeth are sent to the dental lab, where a mold of your teeth would be generated from the impression. The completed mold would be sent back to the dental office, where your dentist would inspect the mold and carry out any necessary modifications. Once everything is perfected, your dentist would cement the permanent crowns to your affected teeth.
CEREC Crowns
Unlike the traditional dental crowns, CEREC crowns are of high quality the entire process of manufacturing them takes only about two and a half hours. CEREC is a relatively new dental technology that uses 3-D photography and computer-aided-design (CAD) software. This allows your dentists to design custom-made dental crowns that fit your mouth perfectly and also match the surrounding teeth.
To get CEREC crowns, your dentist would first get precise digital imaging of your teeth using an intraoral scanner. The CEREC crowns are made from this digital image through 3-D printing/computer-aided manufacturing right in the dental office. The CEREC crowns are made from a single block of either porcelain or ceramic and are cemented to your affected teeth using adhesives. CEREC crown is durable, quick, and metal free – reasons why patients love it.
Since CEREC crown can be created and placed within a few hours, it requires just a dental visit. To learn more about each kind of dental crown as well as their advantages and disadvantages, Visit our dental crown page or speak with an Emergency Dentist in Houston member today.
How to Care for Dental Crowns?
Remember, permanent crowns can either be stainless steel crowns, metals (alloy, gold) crown, porcelain crowns, resin crown, porcelain-fused-to-metal, all ceramic crowns, etc.
Typically, dental crowns can last about 5 to 15 years on the average. However, how long your crowns will last depends on how well you observe good and proper dental hygiene practices and the rate of wear and tear.
If you grind or clench your teeth, open crown corks with your teeth, bite your fingernails, or chew ice or any other hard food, you may be shortening the lifespan of your crowns.
Basically, dental crowns do not require any special dental care, but you should continue to follow good dental hygiene practices, which include brushing, flossing, and rinsing at least twice a day.
Don’t forget that dental crowns are basically meant to improve the appearance of a tooth, cover an implant, cover a cracked tooth, or restore the shape and size of your damaged teeth.
Hence, they may not be able to save your affected tooth from decay – the crowned teeth may not be resistant to decay in the long run if proper hygiene practices are not observed. Therefore, you may need to make a periodic visit to your dentist to examine the status of your dental condition.
Find a Dental Solution That is Right for You
By now, you would have understood what are dental crowns and how do they work. You would have also understood how to make a better decision as regards your choice of dental crown materials.
Don’t let broken, worn down, stained, or discolored teeth affect your confidence or prevent you from enjoying those activities you like. Contact Emergency Dentist in Houston today to improve your dental health and appearance of your teeth and smile.
At Emergency Dentist in Houston today, our friendly dental staff is always available to help. If you have any question, visit our dental crown page to learn more about tooth-related concerns.
